I suspect every Oiler fan was five seconds away from losing their mind on the referees, after one of the worst officiated NHL games I've seen in years, but then in a span of four seconds Nail Yakupov, who was horrific at batting practice in Pittsburgh at the 2012 draft, did his best Jose Bautista and Theo Fleury impersonations and OilersNation went into hysterics.

I'm sure some fun sponge will claim Yakupov's celebration was over the top, but in a sport, and society, that has become incredibly politically correct it was a welcome change.

In a game that should have been 6-5 instead of 2-1, due to 17 combined powerplays, the Oilers got a miraculous goal/swing from Yakupov with 4.7 seconds remaining to send the game to overtime. And then Sam Gagner won it in OT, fittingly with a powerplay goal.

In case you were living under a rock tonight, here is Yakupov's Bautista/Fleury heroics/celebration. How much fun is Yakupov having? I never had a problem when he was celebrating for the Russians and I don't have a problem with this celebration either. In fact, I thought it was great.

I have a feeling Oiler fans are in for one hell of a rollercoaster ride this season. You'll have great comebacks like you've seen in Vancouver and v. the Kings and you'll likely also see a few stinkers like Tuesday's debacle v. the Sharks. But the Oilers will be entertaining.

GAME THOUGHTS

Excellent bounce back performance by Devan Dubnyk. He got a bit of love from his goal posts early on a 5-on-3, and that seemed to give him some confidence. He got stronger as the game went on.

Krueger made some smart decisions all night. One of his best was putting Eric Belanger on the ice in the final ten seconds. He won the draw cleanly, and that led directly to Yakupov's goal. Belanger took a lot of heat last year, but he's been very good so far this season. Especially on the PK and faceoffs.

As expected Ryan Nugent-Hopkins played his best game of the season. He created numerous chances, scored the tying goal that was disallowed by a putrid call and the assisted on the game winner. Solid performance.

Justin Schultz played over 27 minutes and looked good and added two assists. He is getting better every game.

Ales Hemsky was ripping slapshots all night. Hemsky has been flying so far this season, and if he keeps shooting like that he'll score much more frequently than he has in the past.

Mark Fistric did exactly what the Oilers needed. He was solid on the PK and delivered a few crushing hits. A few good debut in Oilers silks.

I sat in the crowd and heard one of the best lines I've heard in a long time. It happened right after the Kings went on their first 5-on-3. "Get off your knees ref you're blowing the game." My wife and I laughed hard at that one. Kudos to whoever said it.

The new faceoff rule was called correctly even if you hate it.

I'm not sure which call was worse Ladislav Smid's first penalty or Fistric's. Fistric barely touched Brown; I thought that was the worst of a bad bunch.

I wonder how many fans will be jacked up for the Flames game on Saturday. The best part is that Wanye gets to write the GDB for both Oilersnation and Flamesnation...Should be gold.

The only thing I didn't like tonight was fans tossing stuff on the ice. I understand your frustration, but no need for that. The worst are those who try to throw a glass of draft with no lid on it. All you do is spray other fans in front of you. Of course throwing anything is just plain stupid, but a lidless beer is the dumbest.

Taylor Hall had the puck a lot tonight, but he didn't finish. I sense he'll break out against Calgary like Nugent-Hopkins did tonight.

One of Canada's most versatile sports personalities. Jason hosts The Jason Gregor Show, weekdays from 2 to 6 p.m., on TSN 1260, and he writes a column every Monday in the Edmonton Journal. You can follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/JasonGregor

What a way to rescue all of our sanity. Notice Ebs was on the other side of the net, with Hall in the slot - murderer's row of snipers - but Yak got the lucky bounce and made it happen. Yak goal - Eberle timing!

There sure seems to be a lot of media types wanting to take a giant dump on Yakupov. The kid is 18 and I think some excitement in E-town would be a nice change after 7 yrs living in the gulag of pro hockey.

I do hope Yak uses some judgement when he scores but every Oiler recognized the energy he brings and there has been precious little to celebrate in this city for far too long.

Rishaug needs take the pole out of his *ss and quit taking himself so seriously. There would be no harm in making the odd positive comment every once in awhile.

There sure seems to be a lot of media types wanting to take a giant dump on Yakupov. The kid is 18 and I think some excitement in E-town would be a nice change after 7 yrs living in the gulag of pro hockey.

I do hope Yak uses some judgement when he scores but every Oiler recognized the energy he brings and there has been precious little to celebrate in this city for far too long.

Rishaug needs take the pole out of his *ss and quit taking himself so seriously. There would be no harm in making the odd positive comment every once in awhile.

Rishaug tweeted that he didn't have a problem with the celly. That it was appropriate given the situation.

You know, I agree that throwing things is stupid, and I the trowing of beer cups is beyond belligerent, however, that break it caused by the clean up gave Kruger and the Oilers a 2nd timeout. It was stupid but at least, in this instance anyway, it was incredibly beneficial.

Hall deserves HUGE credit for stopping Mike Richards from getting the empty netter, and for jumping on the puck when it was blocked and throwing it on net to create the rebound Yak batted in. Nice attention to details, good sign.

Jason gregor just so you know throwing debris on the ice was ABSOLUTELY the thing to do. I loved every second of it. Those clowns that wore referee outfits tonight were an embarrassment to the sport of hockey and the NHL and the only thing we did wrong is not hit them with the debris. But trust me, most of us tried. Other than that huge win and i love the heart yak has. and have nothing wrong with his celebration. For everyone giving him a hard time. He's 18 years old from a different country playing in front of over 16 000 fans that are screaming as loud as they can and he scores a clutch goal like that and shows how much emotion he brings to the game he loves. I respect that. But i don't respect those over paid zebras.

That was the worst oficiating I have seen in a long time. Were those clowns from the World Juniors or the Spenglar Cup? The league should be embarrased. Don't get me wrong they screwed both teams. So really they just screwed the game.

Biggest gong show ever, for a game that had so many stupid penalties, they didn't know how to call a normal penalty. There were at least 3 uncalled penalties that no one would have complained about. Don't know how they can possibly disallow 3 goals in the same game and not be able to get a video review on any of them, this game should have been 3-2 final for the oilers.

If the Kings didn't like Yak's celebration.They are free to try to stop him next time.

It was refreshing to see that kind of enthusiasm.After robot Renney last year.It is also nice to see the players standing up for each other.Since the Renney no fight shackles have been lifted.

With the team fighting through all the adversity (re:the refs) to win.Along with the OT win In Van city the team appears to be learning how to win the one goal games.That will go a long way to making the playoffs.

This was a game for the ages.It could be the TSN turning point on ending the years of losing.

I agree let the lid go and keep the energy alive. Our look at "Did we pick the right guy" is looking like a big YES. I like what I have seen so far with his speed and hockey sense and no fear of shooting the puck. Did anyone see how excited the older oilers were pumped up? I did and loved it as well.

Most people don't realize this, but Russians are usually 0% or 100%. Ask a Russian how they are and they're either near death, or on top of the world. You'll rarely get a "meh" answer, and I think this reflects in Yak's celebration. He isn't doing it to be an *ss, he's just showing his emotion at that moment like most Russians do.

Did anyone else notice how horrible Stoll was at taking draws last night? I saw Smyth beat him twice, and Belanger beat him to tie the game. It was a nice change :D

sheeeet if i was at the game i would have been throwing everything i could get my hands on as well, piss poor officiating. but in the end what a game i laughed i cried i yelled at my television, went to bed ramped up. come on saturday and the flames.

Gregor's right, throwing things on the ice does nothing, and the Oilers should have got a penalty for stupid fans like Robbie. I love the Oil as much as any person in Alberta, but its hard to defend low brow thinking like this. Thinking that throwing pop bottles and beer onto the ice is going to do anything is like equivalent to the small group of numbnuts that started the riots in Vancouver. Its selfish

Loved the Yak cellebration. The NHL needs more passion and less robots(Stoll and Richards). The garbage on the ice? Given the passion and hate toward the refs at the moment, it is what it is.
One last point, this year the Oilers have won 2 games they would have lost the last 3-5 years and taken the thought of it was a good loss. Losing isn't being tolerated this year from the looks of it, good on ya Oilers great game.

Most emotional game I have watched since perhaps the 2006 SC run.I liked the character of the team, especially in view of the number[mostly dumb] penalties called. J.G. your pointed highlites pretty much covers it all.Also kudo's to Smid for dropping the gloves and looking after business.[ Wheres Hordichuck when you need him ]

One thing for sure, Kruger can cancel the PK and PP practice today!, done it all night long last night.

Bring on the Flames. PS> Sit Petrel and dress Hordichuck for this one,

I'll take the garbage throwing. The sceaming and chanting at the Refs for a blown call or 8. I'll take that "passion' every day of the week and then some. We have been accused of being to pedestrian at times here in Edmonton, Yak gave us a reason to celebrate last night. after the 6-1 drubbing we took the other night in the first period we turn it around and win last nights game.Somehow. We would have lost that game last year.The year before that.And the year before that.

We deserve.No we are entitled to vent our emotions.We have suffered so much at the butt end of the stick that last nights outburst by the fans at Rexall confirms for me the passion that we feel for the Oilers is still there. Its been a while since we could feel that way. It is almost cathartic to have a win like we had last night.

Let the naysayers and pundits cry foul. Yak scored a goal for the Oilers last night that may well define this season. Never give up. With Yaks youthful enthusiasm added to an already boiling emotional pot we will see what we have not seen in 2 decades. Players having fun.Paying the price for each other. Balls to the wall firewagon hockey. Never give up. Play to the last second. Its been a while. I have been waiting for this for a lonnnnng time.The horses are out of the barn. Let em run.

Great emotional win last night considering the officiating. Fortunately there were brutal calls on both sides. As for littering the ice....If the Oilers were penalized for delay of game and the Kings scored/won, what would Robbie be saying then?

All I can say is: it's a good thing Nail scored...if he hadn't, I expect there would've been a dangerous reaction to the officials for stealing the game from the already enraged fans. That wasn't a reaction of a just the single blown call, but the entire debacle of a 'hockey' game.

As far as I'm concerned, the NHL is making a huge mistake with these 'new' rules and horrendously weak parades to the penalty box. Until the final minute, last night's game was brutal, with no flow whatsoever. Not the way to win back fans in my opinion. Luckily for us we have players like Yakupov and a celebration like that (which was perfect, considering the circumstances), and everyone goes home happy despite the best efforts of the striped crew...

MPS played very well. Harti might get sent down when jones gets back. Not that he has played poorly.

Nice save by Hall to keep it 1-0.

Fistric brings a nice added element. He rubs people the wrong way and battles hard, which led to drawing 3 penalties.

One thing about the PP, it seems they just want to make pretty passes and not get shots to the net. Granted they have a smaller team which makes it difficult to battle in front of the net and the fact they wiffed on a few back door passes. Would be nice if they had someone on the point with a rocket of a slap shot.

Yeah, it didn't seem like he had great luck around the net tonight, despite creating tremendous chances and having a few himself.

But as I look back at the last two years, he's never really had the Stamkos/Crosby/Malkin ability to finish plays.

Might be good to remember that Crosby didn't develop super elite finishing skills until his 5th year in the league. I remember a few interviews and acticles where he had said that he needed to shoot more and work on burying his chances when they were there. That year he scored 50 and changed the curve on his stick. I think we will see something similar with Hall, more will end up in the back of the net.

Yakupov is allowed to do that ONCE. I suspect the coach's "soccer" line will be explained that it wasn't a compliment. Though really, it's too bad there wasn't an 'interwebs' when Theo did exactly the same thing. I'm PRETTY sure Oiler fans weren't saying, "It was the moment, great celly!"

Also....

Please.

For the love of God.

Can we NOT make "Celly" a thing.

Referees were awful, moron fans were worse. Krueger was cleaning off his suit because some of the mouth-breathers paying $300/ticket thought tossing a beer would really 'say something'.

The thing that drives me nuts is that at beginning of every season the NHL officials crack down on every little ticky tack infraction. Then, near the end of the season and into they playoffs they don't call anything.

How in the world does it make any sense to call two different games and in effect have two sets of rules depending upon the time of the season? Its a farce.

The disparity has been particularly bad the last few years. The Director of Officiating should be canned.

The thing that drives me nuts is that at beginning of every season the NHL officials crack down on every little ticky tack infraction. Then, near the end of the season and into they playoffs they don't call anything.

How in the world does it make any sense to call two different games and in effect have two sets of rules depending upon the time of the season? Its a farce.

The disparity has been particularly bad the last few years. The Director of Officiating should be canned.

Not to say the refs weren't awful, but they're into game #3 as well. Maybe cut them a break.